Storage of skis and ski equipment when not in use has been recognized as a concern, if not a problem. This had led to the suggestion of many wall mounted racks, clips or slings which include a base or mounting affixed to a wall with horizontally projecting supports which engage and support a pair of skis in bottom-to-bottom contact.
Skis, by inherent design, include an upwardly arc or arcuate leading or front tip portion which contribute to placement and support of a pair of skis in bottom-to-bottom relationship by the horizontally projecting supports engaging the skis in the arcuate leading portion. The projecting supports are spaced to engage and support the skis by engaging the skis above the point of tangency where the arcuate portion of the front tip begins. Examples of such ski holders are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,956,812; 4,793,496; 5,193,694; and 5,417,335.
It is further general practice to secure a pair of skis together in bottom-to-bottom relationship by interlocking the ski brakes intermediate the ends of the skis as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,793,496 and 5,193,694. This securing method is almost general practice no matter how the skis are stored.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,800 discloses a wall mounted ski holder where a retaining element is bent upwardly from a base to receive and support skis at the upper arcuate leading tips from the outside (with respect to a wall) edges of the skis.
Ski holders of the type described present a problem in that the outward projecting support members extend from the mounting wall at substantially eye or facial level and may present a hazard to a person working near the mounting wall.
Additionally, the ski holder of U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,800 requires that the rear ends of the skis engage a lower support surface. Also, the holding element which is integral with the mounting is subject to fatigue and cracking from repeated bending to receive a pair of skis.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a new and improved holding device for mounting on a wall which extends only a minimal distance from a wall and includes a retaining member pivotally mounted to a wall support member which engages the outside edges of a pair of skis to retain them on small support lugs extending from the wall support member. This construction provides positive support of the skis on the lugs and retention of the skis on the lugs. When not in use, the retaining member pivots flush against the mounting wall. A device embodying completely supports and retains skis without a lower support device or floor mounting and, therefore, may be wall mounted above normal facial and head level.
An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved wall mounted device for supporting skis.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved ski holding device of the type described which is easily installed, has a long life and which may be wall mounted above normal head level.
A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved ski holding device of the type described which also has facility for holding ski poles.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved ski holding device of the type described which mounts flush to a wall and has minimal extension from the wall when not in use.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved wall mounted ski holding device of the type described which requires no bottom support for the skis.